What It Really Takes To Step Out Of Client Delivery
Our most recent Agency Leaders Roundtable sparked some incredible conversations about what it truly means to step out of client delivery—without risking relationships.
It wasn’t theory—it was lived experience.
Each of our panelists opened up about the practical steps, mindset shifts, and systems that allowed them to trust their teams, strengthen client relationships, and finally lead from a higher level.
Here are just a few of the insights that resonated most deeply:
1. Kelley Gibson – Inkling Design
"The first thing that moved me out of client delivery was our first hire. Giving them a templated, straightforward process allowed me to focus on higher-ticket offers while growing our team."
➡️ Key learning: Start with small, structured handoffs to build trust and free up leadership capacity.
2. Tyler Cameron – wrksourcing
"Growing a business is just adding more chaos. Scaling a business is putting foundational pieces in place so you can delegate with confidence."
➡️ Key learning: True growth requires systems and delegation, not just more clients or more work.
3. Lucia De Biasio – LDB Design
"The moment I realized I could step back was when I was just CC’d on emails—not expected to respond—and my team took full ownership."
➡️ Key learning: Evidence of client trust without your presence is a critical milestone for stepping back.
4. Cathy Landolt – Blue Elephant Productions
"Meetings are next-level time suckers. Letting my team run client updates freed up my time and was an easy first step out of delivery."
➡️ Key learning: Start by delegating recurring tasks that are draining but low-impact for leadership decisions.
5. Kelley Gibson
"The biggest blocker was mindset: I worried clients would feel like it was a bait and switch, but I had to trust my handpicked team to deliver the quality I expected."
➡️ Key learning: Overcoming mindset barriers is as important as creating systems for delegation.
6. Tyler Cameron
"Most founders are stressed because they don’t want to relinquish control. The ones who grow are open to changing their processes and putting systems in place."
➡️ Key learning: Delegation requires both mindset shifts and operational systems.
7. Cathy Landolt
"Some people are naturally good with clients. I can teach marketing and processes, but you can’t teach empathy or professionalism."
➡️ Key learning: Hiring for inherent qualities—communication, professionalism, empathy—makes delegation possible.
8. Valeri Hall Little
"Every time you touch a project you weren’t scoped in for, you can hear the profit drain out."
➡️ Key learning: Leaders need to stop doing operational work to protect profit and strategic focus.
9. Lucia De Biasio
"If you mentor someone to be reliant on you, you create a job for yourself. You can’t step away. Empower your team to think critically and take ownership."
➡️ Key learning: Effective delegation requires developing autonomy, not dependence.
These stories are proof that stepping back doesn’t mean stepping away.
It means building the systems, people, and self-trust that allow your agency to thrive—even when you’re not in every client meeting or email thread.
Let’s keep reimagining what leadership looks like—together.
👉 Missed the roundtable? Click here to watch the replay.