Scaling an Agency: My Journey to Millions by Age 26

Scaling an agency to millions in revenue by age 26 isn’t something I ever imagined when I was juggling university lectures and a side hustle.

Back then, I was just a student with big dreams, a PayPal loan, and a relentless drive to make something of myself.

Today, I run Saw, the largest agency group in the UK focused on scaling e-commerce stores, alongside two other thriving businesses—Hamy Media and For You Advertising.

Together, we’re pulling in over $500,000 a month, serving more than 90 active clients, and employing around 90 talented people.

It’s been a wild ride—five years of grit, growth, and a few sleepless nights—but I’ve learned a ton along the way.

This isn’t just about my story; it’s about the strategies, mindset, and systems that turned a bootstrapped idea into a multi-million-dollar operation.

Whether you’re an aspiring agency owner or a seasoned pro looking to level up, I’m here to share the raw, unfiltered lessons that worked for me.

Buckle up—this is how I scaled an agency to heights I never thought possible, and how you might, too.

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The Early Days – Starting with Nothing but Hustle

I launched Saw about five years ago, in October 2020, while still at university.

It wasn’t glamorous—my first “investment” was a modest PayPal loan to cover a course that taught me the basics of media buying.

I had no fancy office, no team, just a laptop and a burning desire to figure things out.

Back then, scaling an agency to millions wasn’t even on my radar; I just wanted to stop scraping by as a freelancer.

The e-commerce world was exploding, and I saw an opportunity to help online stores grow through paid ads.

With zero experience in the industry, I leaned hard into learning—courses, trial and error, late nights researching DTC (direct-to-consumer) trends.

My first clients came from relentless outreach—Instagram DMs were my weapon of choice, sliding into brand owners’ inboxes with personalized pitches.

It was scrappy, but it worked, and those early wins laid the foundation for everything that followed.

Those initial months were chaotic—every day felt like throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what stuck.

I’d spend hours crafting ad campaigns, tweaking strategies, and praying the results would impress my handful of clients.

Cash was tight, and every penny went back into the business or my education.

But something clicked when I started treating my agency like a real business, not just a side gig.

The turning point came when I landed a couple of clients who trusted me enough to stick around.

Their revenue grew, my confidence did too, and suddenly, I wasn’t just surviving—I was building something.

Scaling an agency to millions starts with that first step: proving you can deliver, even on a shoestring budget.

For me, it was about hustle, persistence, and a willingness to learn fast.

The First Big Leap – Building a Team That Grows with You

About six months in, I realized I couldn’t do it all alone anymore.

Scaling an agency to millions isn’t a solo sport—it’s about leveraging other people’s talents.

Hiring my first team members was terrifying; I was still bootstrapping, and paying salaries felt like a leap off a cliff.

But I got lucky—three of my first ten hires turned out to be absolute rock stars, and they’re still with me today as part of our C-suite.

One of them, who joined as a media buyer, climbed the ranks to managing director in just four years.

That’s when I knew we were onto something—finding people who could grow faster than the business itself.

It’s rare, but when it happens, it’s like rocket fuel for your agency.

The shift from freelancer to agency owner hit me hard when I saw their impact.

Suddenly, I wasn’t the only one chasing leads or running campaigns.

My team took on the heavy lifting, and our output went from linear—one-to-one effort—to exponential.

Two or three of us working together compounded our results, turning small wins into big ones.

I remember the relief of handing off a campaign and seeing it perform better than when I’d micromanaged everything myself.

That’s when scaling an agency to millions started feeling real—when I stopped being the bottleneck.

But hiring isn’t just about filling seats; it’s about finding the right people who buy into your vision.

Early on, I made mistakes—some hires flopped, and I wasted time cleaning up messes.

The lesson? Invest in talent that aligns with your goals, and the growth will follow.

Strategic Acquisitions – Expanding the Empire

Fast forward to a couple of months ago, and we wrapped up a major milestone—acquiring Hamy Media, a London-based agency specializing in performance creative for DTC brands.

It took six to eight months of negotiations, but bringing them into the Saw group was a game-changer.

The decision wasn’t random; it came from a personal connection with Lucas, Hamy’s founder, and a clear strategic fit.

We’d already been collaborating on referral projects, and the results were undeniable—smoother processes, better outcomes for clients.

Scaling an agency to millions sometimes means absorbing expertise you don’t have in-house yet.

Hamy filled a gap we’d struggled with: executing top-tier creative content.

Before that, we were strong on strategy—using data to guide clients—but relied on others to bring it to life.

Now, we control the whole pipeline, from ideation to execution.

The integration hasn’t been seamless, though.

Merging teams, cultures, and operations takes time—way more than I expected.

Picture two bustling offices, one in London and one wherever Saw’s chaos unfolds, trying to sync up workflows and mindsets.

We’re still ironing out kinks, but the vision is clear: one unified business delivering unmatched value to e-commerce brands.

Then there’s For You Advertising, our TikTok-focused agency, born from a partnership with Lucas and another collaborator, Liam.

Launched a couple of years ago, it capitalized on TikTok’s rise before most agencies caught on.

Instead of folding it into Saw, we kept it separate to leverage its niche positioning—now it’s the UK’s biggest DTC TikTok agency, with TikTok itself sending us clients.

Scaling an agency to millions often means knowing when to branch out and when to consolidate—I’m still figuring that balance out.

Systems and Processes – The Backbone of Scale

If there’s one thing I wish I’d obsessed over sooner, it’s systems.

Scaling an agency to millions without repeatable processes is like building a skyscraper on sand—it’ll collapse.

Early on, I picked up a habit from an internship at a SaaS startup: document everything.

They onboarded me with an Asana board packed with tasks, videos, and step-by-step guides—three weeks of work I could tackle solo because it was so clear.

I brought that mindset to Saw, and it’s been a lifeline.

Our SOP (standard operating procedure) library is massive—over 100 resources detailing how we onboard clients, run campaigns, even hire staff.

It’s granular, like a playbook for every move we make.

Two team members now focus full-time on refining these systems, keeping them sharp as we grow.

Imagine a new hire stepping into a role and knowing exactly what to do, no hand-holding required.

That’s what our SOPs do—they cut chaos and boost efficiency.

When I shared this library at a mastermind event, jaws dropped—people realized they’d been winging it too long.

For me, it’s meant easier hiring, consistent service delivery, and the ability to scale without losing quality.

Clients don’t see the backend, but they feel the results—campaigns that hit the mark every time.

Scaling an agency to millions hinges on this: productizing your service so it’s predictable, repeatable, and teachable.

Without it, you’re stuck in freelancer mode forever.

It’s not sexy, but it’s the secret sauce that keeps us ahead.

Marketing and Branding – From Hustle to Momentum

In the beginning, scaling an agency to millions was all about outbound hustle—cold DMs, emails, whatever worked.

Outreach cycles are funny—something clicks for six months, then everyone jumps on it, and it fizzles out.

We got lucky with timing, but luck’s only half the story; you’ve got to make it work.

For years, I pounded the pavement digitally, pitching e-commerce brands left and right.

But around the three-year mark, I stepped back and asked: why aren’t we marketing ourselves like we market our clients?

We teach multi-channel growth—paid ads, content, branding—so we flipped the script on ourselves.

I started running ads for Saw, building a personal brand, and creating content that showcased our expertise.

It was a slow burn, but it shifted us from pushing a snowball uphill to riding it downhill with momentum.

Now, inbound leads flood in—referrals, partnerships, even TikTok plugging us into opportunities.

Picture a pipeline buzzing with brand owners who’ve heard of us through case studies or a founder’s recommendation.

Scaling an agency to millions gets easier when people come to you.

Personal branding played a huge role—I started sharing wins, lessons, and insights openly, positioning myself as a go-to voice in the DTC space.

It’s not about ego; it’s about trust.

Clients want to work with someone who knows their stuff, and brands want partners who stand out.

That shift took resources—time, a dedicated marketing team—but it’s why we’re a household name in UK e-commerce today.

Client Retention – The Real Growth Engine

Here’s a truth bomb: scaling an agency to millions isn’t about acquisition—it’s about retention.

New clients are great, but keeping them long-term is what builds stability.

Some of our earliest clients have been with us for over four years, spending hundreds of thousands in lifetime value (LTV).

They’re the backbone that let me hire confidently and invest in growth.

Early on, I poured time into relationships—over-delivering, solving problems outside our scope, earning trust.

It wasn’t scalable then, but it paid off.

Those clients became advocates, referring others and anchoring our revenue.

Retention isn’t flashy, but it’s how you go from surviving to thriving.

Think of it like this: a client who stays three years is worth way more than three clients who churn after three months.

We’ve had brands stick with us through thick and thin because we deliver results—and manage expectations.

I’ve learned to under-promise and over-deliver, avoiding the trap of wild guarantees that tank trust.

Scaling an agency to millions means focusing on LTV—nailing service so clients don’t just stay, they rave about you.

It’s a grind at first, but once you’ve got a core of loyal clients, the rest falls into place.

For us, that’s meant case studies that sell themselves and a reputation that precedes us.

It’s not rocket science—it’s about caring more than your competition.

Strategic Partnerships – The Million-Dollar Accelerator

Once we hit $100,000 a month, the game changed—strategic partnerships became our turbo boost.

Scaling an agency to millions past that point relies on tapping into ecosystems bigger than yours.

Take TikTok—they send us clients because For You Advertising carved a niche as the UK’s top DTC TikTok agency.

Then there’s Triple Whale, a DTC unicorn, naming us their Agency of the Year and funneling work our way.

These aren’t accidents; they’re built on elite service delivery that makes partners trust us with their reputation.

It’s a virtuous cycle—great results earn partnerships, partnerships bring clients, clients fuel growth.

We’ve even partnered with other agencies, like sending $100,000 a month in content work to a smaller outfit in Ireland.

It’s not about hoarding leads; it’s about building an ecosystem where everyone wins.

Picture this: instead of cold-pitching 100 brands, one partner sends you 10 warm leads who already trust you.

That’s the power of partnerships—leverage without the legwork.

We’ve got a whole system for managing them—dedicated pipelines tracking relationships, outreach, and referrals.

Scaling an agency to millions gets exponential when you’re not the only one hunting.

The trick? Be so good that established players want to bet on you.

It’s taken us from scrappy upstart to industry leader faster than I could’ve dreamed.

If you’re stuck at $100K, find your first partner—it’s a cheat code to the next level.

The Future – Cracking the US and Beyond

So, what’s next for scaling an agency to millions—or tens of millions?

Right now, we’re laser-focused on merging Saw and Hamy into one powerhouse over the next six months—team, strategy, everything aligned.

Then, 2026 is about cracking the US market—maybe through beefed-up marketing, maybe another acquisition.

Picture us rolling into New York or LA, bringing our DTC expertise to a whole new pool of brands.

Long-term, we’re building a group with massive enterprise value—think five or six years until a potential sale.

There’s no hard revenue goal; it’s more about enjoying the ride and hitting milestones that feel right.

We might scoop up more agencies or dip into SaaS—all in the DTC space where we’re kings.

The plan’s fluid, but the drive’s constant—keep building, keep growing.

It’s not all smooth sailing, though.

Every day’s a new puzzle—losing a client, a team hiccup, a market shift.

But that’s the gig—agency life isn’t the glitzy dream people sell online.

It’s messy, relentless, and insanely rewarding when it clicks.

Scaling an agency to millions has taught me resilience, focus, and how to enjoy the chaos.

I’m out of the day-to-day now, but my mind’s always in it—plotting, tweaking, dreaming bigger.

If I can pull this off by 26, imagine where we’ll be at 30.

The journey’s just getting started.

Final Thoughts – Advice for the Grind

If you’re chasing that $100K-a-month mark, here’s my two cents: focus like your life depends on it.

Scaling an agency to millions starts with going deep, not wide—pick one or two channels and master them.

Outreach got me off the ground—Instagram DMs, emails, whatever—because I obsessed over making it work.

Don’t chase every shiny trend; nail what’s in front of you.

Then, get the right people in the right seats—early hires can make or break you.

Service delivery is your golden ticket—blow clients away, and they’ll stick around, refer others, build your case studies.

It’s simple but brutal: hyper-focus, repetition, and results.

That’s how you turn a proof-of-concept into a million-dollar machine.

I’ve been there—throwing everything at the wall, seeing what sticks.

Track it, identify what’s working, leverage it hard, and systemize it.

That’s the framework that got me here, and it’s what I’ll be diving into with agency owners in a new mentorship program soon.

Scaling an agency to millions isn’t magic—it’s discipline, grit, and a willingness to evolve.

You’ve got this—just don’t stop pushing.

We strongly recommend that you check out our guide on how to take advantage of AI in today’s passive income economy.