You don’t need more hands—you need better tools. For service-based small business owners, AI can lift the burden of repetitive tasks, helping your team do more of what moves the needle

In this episode of The Creative Agency Success Show, we sit down with Ed Krystosik, Co-Founder of RAC Projects AI, to unpack the real-world strategies for integrating AI into small businesses. From streamlining workflows to navigating compliance risks, Ed shares how AI can support your people, sharpen your processes, and fuel sustainable growth.

Key Takeaways:

• Support Over Substitution: AI should enhance, not replace, your team.
• Start Small, Think ROI: Target low-friction tasks first.
• Fix the Process First: Map your workflows, then automate what makes sense.
• Win Team Buy-In: Assign a tech-savvy team member to lead the change. Make AI adoption a shared mission, not a top-down command.
• Play It Safe with Data: Learn how to protect sensitive info and avoid hallucinated outputs with smart model settings.
• Make Your Method Memorable: Create repeatable models that AI and humans can remember and recommend.

Learn how to use AI to power smarter decisions, sharper content, and stronger results. Watch the episode of ▶️ Amplifying Human Potential In Your Business with AI Support.

Find more podcast episodes on our website: http://www.summitcpa.net/podcasts

Episode resources:

● Summit Virtual CFO by Anders website: https://www.summitcpa.net/

● Love our content? Sign up for our newsletter: https://www.summitcpa.net/summit-newsletter

● Check out the Virtual CFO Playbook Course:

https://anderscpa.com/

anderscpa.com/virtual-cfo-services/vcfo-playbook/

Quotes

• "If you're using AI to amplify the people you already have—or possibly replace the need for new hires—that's where you get tremendous ROI." - Ed Krystosik
• "When AI takes over parts of everyone’s tasks, it shifts job roles. The challenge becomes getting buy-in as responsibilities evolve." - Jamie Nau

Ed Krystosik is the Co-Founder of RAC/AI, where he helps busy sales professionals amplify their impact through smart, AI-supported lead generation strategies. By automating follow-ups and systematizing referral pipelines, Ed empowers professionals to boost revenue without burning out. His approach focuses on maximizing quality leads, nurturing client relationships, and simplifying tech with practical workflows. With Ed's guidance, sales teams can focus less on chasing leads and more on closing deals. He's on a mission to help sales pros unlock human potential through strategic, AI-backed systems.

Website: https://racprojects.ai/

Facebook: https://racprojects.ai/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ed-krystosik/

The Creative Agency Success Show helps service-based business owners master the financial side of growth. Hosted by Jamie Nau, Director of VCFO Services/ Virtual CFO, and Jody Grunden, Partner and Virtual CFO Practice Leader at Anders CPAs + Advisors, the podcast dives into essential

Creative Agency Success Show (Episode 144): “A maturity model isn't a report card, it's about understanding where your decision-making capabilities are.” - Jamie Nau

In this episode of The Creative Agency Success Show, Jamie Nau and Jody Grunden pull back the curtain on how small business owners can move from just getting by to truly thriving. They’ve spent the last eight months crafting a maturity model designed to help you assess where your business stands in five key areas: cash management, forecasting, profitability, sales outlook, and financial reporting.

But here’s the thing—it’s not about being perfect. It’s about having a clear path forward.

Imagine being able to make decisions with confidence, knowing you’re moving in the right direction. That’s the power of understanding where your business currently stands and what small but impactful steps you can take next.

So, what’s your next move? Tune in now and start building a business that works for you—not the other way around.

▶️ What's a Maturity Model Anyway?

Find more podcast episodes on our website: http://www.summitcpa.net/podcasts

Episode resources:

● Summit Virtual CFO by Anders website: https://www.summitcpa.net/

● Love our content? Sign up for our newsletter: https://www.summitcpa.net/summit-newsletter

● Digital Dollars and Cents: A Virtual CFO’s Playbook to help Creative Agencies Create a Financial Roadmap to Success, is now an audiobook! Download it here: https://vcfo.summitcpa.net/ddc

_________________________________________________________________________________________

The Creative Agency Success Show helps service-based business owners master the financial side of growth. Hosted by Jamie Nau, Director of VCFO Services/ Virtual CFO, and Jody Grunden, Partner and Virtual CFO Practice Leader at Anders CPAs + Advisors, the podcast dives into essential financial strategies for scaling creative agencies. With insights from industry experts and real-world experiences, episodes explore topics like cash flow management, forecasting, and financial maturity models. Backed by Summit Virtual CFO Services by Anders, this bi-weekly show provides actionable guidance for business owners navigating financial complexity. Join the conversation to build a stronger, more financially successful agency.

Website: https://the-virtual-cpa-success-show-for-creative-agencies.simplecast.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vcfobyanders

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vcfobyanders/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vcfobyanders

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@vcfobyanders

X: https://x.com/vcfobyanders

________________________________________________________________________________________

Jamie Nau, CPA, Summit Virtual CF

Episode Title:

Mastering the Art of Agency Growth: Lessons from Brad Ferris

Episode Summary:

In this episode of "The Creative Agency Success Show," hosts engage with Brad Farris from Anchor Advisors, a seasoned expert with over 20 years in the marketing and creative agency space. The discussion centers on scaling agency businesses, highlighting the importance of strategic hiring, financial planning, and maintaining cash reserves. Brad shares insights on the differences between consulting and coaching, emphasizing the empowerment of agency owners to find their own solutions. Success stories and challenges are discussed, offering practical advice on navigating growth stages and making informed decisions. The episode concludes with actionable steps for agency owners to achieve sustainable growth.

Episode Notes:

"I truly believe that a lot of visionaries and entrepreneurs think they can outsell anything, but they need to be intentional and build up that cash reserve to dive into the next level." -Brad Farris

The finer details of this episode:

• Focus on strategies for agency owners to scale their businesses.
• Discussion of the challenges faced by agency owners during growth.
• Importance of hiring the right people for agency success.
• Distinction between consulting and coaching in the agency context.
• The role of cash reserves in supporting growth initiatives.
• Insights on navigating different stages of agency growth.
• The significance of revisiting goals and aspirations regularly.
• Addressing conservative mindsets and encouraging calculated risks.
• The value of external perspectives in identifying areas for improvement.

Episode resources:

● Summit Virtual CFO by Anders website: https://www.summitcpa.net/

● Love our content? Sign up for our newsletter: https://www.summitcpa.net/summit-newsletter

● Digital Dollars and Cents: A Virtual CFO’s Playbook to help Digital Companies Create a Financial Roadmap to Success, is now an audio book! Download it here: https://vcfo.summitcpa.net/ddc

Timestamps:

Introduction to the Show (00:00:00)

Overview of "The Creative Agency Success Show" and its focus on helping agency owners.

Discussion on Growth Strategies (00:00:15)

Brad Ferris shares insights on achieving the next stage of agency growth.

Importance of Coaching (00:00:40)

Speaker 3 highlights Brad's extensive experience and the value of coaching for agencies.

Hiring Considerations for Growth (00:01:21)

Discussion on when to hire and which roles to prioritize for agency success.

Consulting vs. Coaching (00:02:32)

Brad explains the differences between consulting and coaching in agency settings.

Success Story: Navigating Crisis (00:03:35)

Brad shares a client's turnaround story after a significant revenue drop.

Engagement Structure (00:05:58)

Brad describes his coaching engagement model and its impact on client awareness.

Contingency Planning (00:07:15)

Importance of building contingency time into a CEO's schedule to handle crises.

Creative Outlets for Agency Owners (00:09:03)

Helping clients find creative outlets outside work to maintain passion and energy.

Hiring Key Team Members (00:09:59)

Discussion on the importance of hiring for growth and the challenges faced.

Bottlenecks in Growth (00:10:40)

Identifying the owner as a bottleneck and the need to delegate responsibilities.

Sales Role Transition (00:12:02)

The importance of trans