1. Hello! Who are you, where are you located and what is your business?
My name is Nick Hinckley, and I’m the founder and CEO of FMK Agency based out of Kansas City. FMK is a creative fractional marketing agency that helps future-focused brands deliver and keep growing. We act as both strategic planning partners and the execution team for our clients.
2. What is your backstory and how did you come up with this idea?
I have a multifaceted career in music, digital marketing and entrepreneurship. Producing is at the heart of what I do, no matter the format. From live concerts to special events, to engaging communities and writing and producing original courses for music education and corporate training, I have extensive experience in creative content production across many platforms.
I’m passionate about connecting people and creating communities, and have done so by working with organizations like TEDx, Creative Mornings, and other idea-based brands. I’m constantly thinking about how to bring people together for the greater good. FMK Agency is just one of my many efforts over the years where I’ve practiced that.
3. How did you get your first customers?
I started out by working out of coffee shops in Denver. The energy and community around a coffee shop inspires me, and as a regular, you meet people. I did free work for people I like and who I wanted to support. They referred me to better paid prospects and I used the free work as part of my portfolio to sell more work. To this day, I still prefer to start my day at the coffee shop to get in the right headspace.
4. Describe the process of launching your agency. What lessons were learned along the way?
I’ve launched several businesses including a couple agencies over the years. FMK Agency is the result of all those previous attempts and iterations. A few of the lessons I’ve learned along the way:
- Work with people who are experts in their field and passionate about what they do.
- Don’t compromise on your values.
- Never underestimate the power of referrals. The vast majority of our success comes from referrals.
- Hiring friends/family can be tricky.
5. Since your early days, what has worked to attract and retain customers?
There are a thousand agencies out there that do the things we do the same way we do it because it works. There’s no reason to reinvent the wheel. Instead, we set ourselves apart with big picture and strategic planning; now that we’ve delivered what you asked for, where do you go from here? What are your next steps to take full advantage of the product we made? How can we help you plan and execute it to its full potential? I’ve found that clients appreciate when they aren’t the only ones thinking about how the pieces are going to fit together.
6. What were your challenges and obstacles in growing your agency?
Time management, talent management, unevenly timed revenue and costs… all of the usual suspects. The challenges with growing the agency are just what you would expect from any founder-led small business that is navigating a global pandemic. Our growth relies upon my ability to engage with clients and prospects to demonstrate our capabilities, while also delivering that success on existing projects.
7. What has been helpful to you to grow your agency?
Fantastically talented team members willing to shine for our clients, together with stellar clients who are also growing and recognizing all that we can bring to the table. Operationally, project management tools, strength in the back office, and decades of experience have all made things a bit smoother.
8. What is your advice for anyone looking to start an agency?
Don’t do it unless you’re passionate about solving problems and growing brands, or you have a partner who is. Also, remember that clients not needing your services anymore can mean that you did your job. Don’t be bothered by client turnover, and ALWAYS be prospecting and seeking solutions.
9. How are you doing today and what does your future look like?
Today, things are stronger than ever. We’re seeing both growth in the number of brands that we are engaging with, as well as the depth of that engagement. Moving from project-based consultants in one part of a business, to Agency of Record for the entire organization, is something that we are managing with a few more of our enterprise clients. The future will see us improving our delivery systems and adding new talents to the team in support of larger, more involved projects. I see us expanding in all aspects of delivery over the next 12 to 18 months, as our clients look to invest more in solutions that help them drive business value.
10. What are some of the platforms or tools you use and companies you partner with to save yourself time, money, and hassles?
Communication and project management tools like Slack and Asana really help us to engage with each other better and track performance against our objectives. Lots of tools surrounding the development and maintenance of content, like Google Drive and Figma, aid in the productivity of the team. Combine that with the DIY capabilities of the SPP.io portal for managing hosting, maintenance and productized requests and ticketing surrounding those sites, and you start to get a feel for the overall framework.
11. What book or podcast recommendations do you have for agency owners?
Depending on what sort of agency you’re starting, you need to seek out voices that are different from your own. Look for complementary skill sets and different perspectives and industries to inspire original thought as a leader in your own. Listen to everything you’re willing and able to, that is in support of and relevant to your agency focus.
12. Where can we learn more about you? (website, social channels)
You can find us online at fmk.agency or as FMK Agency on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.