How To Run a Drupal Agency

Running a digital agency, consultancy, or any professional services firm brings very different challenges. Everyone is so focused on the next client project that it's hard to focus on running the actual business. That makes it hard to grow and improve.

Steve Parks has worked in, and run, consultancy businesses since 2004. He's learned a lot of things the hard way, and likes to share these lessons so others can benefit from the pain.

This session will cover how to:

• Figure out what you're selling (and why that's not Drupal, even if you're a Drupal agency)
• Figure out a niche that helps you target your marketing
• Improve your sales approach so that you win the right projects, and start them in the right way
• Map your business processes and tools so you can reduce the stress and increase quality
• Build great client relationships that last
• Create a great place to work
• Build a business that's a keeper (aka harvest the golden eggs rather than eating the goose)

It wil also raise questions for further discussion in a BoF to follow the session, inviting other business leaders to share their experience and expertise (and pain).

The session is targeted at those who own, lead, and work in senior levels in professional services firms, digital agencies or consultancies - and those who might break out to start their own one day. 

Steve previously gave a version of this talk at Drupalcon LA, and received high feedback scores. This talk is an evolution of that one with lots of new material.