Every few months, a new wave of AI tools hits the market - faster, smarter, cheaper.

And every time, I see agency founders react in one of two ways...

Some feel energised. They dive in, experiment, automate.
Others feel paralysed. They know AI matters but can't see where it fits into their already full plates.

Both reactions make sense.

Because for most small and mid-sized agencies, the real question isn't 'Should we use AI?'.
It's 'How do we build the kind of operation that can actually benefit from it?'.

What I see in smaller agencies

A digital agency of 15 people. Good clients, steady work, ambitious plans.

They've dabbled in AI, using it to polish a proposal or summarise a client call. But it hasn't changed how they work. Delivery still feels manual. Reporting takes too long. And the leadership team spends more time chasing visibility than shaping strategy.

From the outside, the agency looks modern. Inside, it's still running on muscle memory and goodwill.

That's the quiet risk. AI can't fix operational fog. It amplifies whatever's already there.

The foundation comes first

Before automation can add real value, the basics have to be clear.

If you can't describe how work moves through the business, you can't optimise it. If your data is messy, your reports inconsistent, or your workflows undocumented, no AI platform will make that smoother - it'll just make it faster…and likely messier.

So start small.

• Codify how projects move from brief to delivery.
• Track who owns what.
• Clean the data that drives decisions.

This isn't about new software or expensive consultants. It's about visibility and intent.

What happens when you do

Once those foundations are in place, the benefits of AI start to appear naturally.

Repetitive admin drops. Project reporting tightens. Teams have more bandwidth for strategic and creative work (the parts humans are still best at). 

Momentum builds not from hype, but from clarity. And when the moment comes to scale, you're ready because your systems can handle the pace.

Preparing for what's next

The agencies that will thrive in two or three years won't be the ones chasing every new tool.
They'll be the ones that took time to prepare their operations. 

The ones that built a model flexible enough to evolve.

AI isn't here to replace your team. It's here to replace the unnecessary noise in how you work.

Start small. Stay curious.
Tidy your house now, so when the real shift comes, you're ready to run with it.

💜 If you'd like to explore how to make your operations AI-ready and get other top operational tips, check out our newsletter, Profit from Operations.

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