Specialization vs. Full Service: Greg Hickman's Perspective on Modern Agencies
🎙️ Happy Clients Podcast Recap: Specialization vs. Full Service: Greg Hickman's Perspective on Modern Agencies
The agency world has changed dramatically in the last decade. What used to be the default, the full-service, “we do it all” agency, is quickly losing relevance. On The Happy Clients Podcast, host Taylor welcomed Greg Hickman, a long-time agency owner and consultant, to unpack what this shift really means for agency leaders today.
Greg’s story and perspective offer both inspiration and a practical roadmap for founders who want to grow smarter, not just bigger.
We help agency owners grow by taking client management off your plate - and putting you in the CEO seat instead
Why the Full-Service Model Is Fading
For years, agencies sold themselves as one-stop shops. Branding, SEO, ads, email marketing, design, you name it, they’d do it. But Greg argues that this model creates a messy client experience and an unsustainable business.
Instead, clients today are looking for depth, not breadth. They want experts who can deliver reliable results in specific areas. That’s where specialization and productized services come in.
According to Greg, trying to be everything to everyone waters down your value. By narrowing your focus, you actually make your agency more attractive to the right clients.
The Power of Productized Services
One of Greg’s most hot takes is that productizing your services doesn’t kill creativity. In fact, it demands more creativity, but in a more strategic way.
When services are packaged and repeatable, the delivery process becomes streamlined. This consistency means:
Better results for clients
A smoother onboarding and management experience
More freedom for agency owners to step out of day-to-day chaos
Greg highlights how this approach allowed him to free up time, spend more moments with family, and even pursue his passion for mountain biking. It’s a lifestyle shift that many agency founders dream of but rarely achieve with a traditional full-service structure.
Balancing Growth and Lifestyle
A major insight from the conversation is that agency growth doesn’t have to come at the expense of lifestyle. Many founders feel trapped in their businesses, constantly reinventing the wheel for every new client.
Greg’s journey proves that you can scale by simplifying. Specialization makes sales easier, onboarding faster, and results more predictable. That predictability not only makes clients happy, it makes agency owners happier too.
Why Specialization Wins
Here are a few key reasons specialization beats full-service for modern agencies:
Clearer positioning – Clients instantly understand what you do and why you’re the best choice.
Scalable systems – With repeatable packages, you can optimize delivery instead of reinventing it every time.
Higher profit margins – Efficiency drives profitability without adding extra headcount.
Happier clients – Consistent results build trust, which leads to retention and referrals.
As Greg puts it, specialization is not limiting, it’s liberating.
Action Steps for Agency Owners
If you’re an agency leader stuck in the full-service cycle, here are a few steps to start moving toward specialization and productization:
Audit your services and identify what gets the best results.
Build repeatable processes around those offers.
Package them in a way that makes it easy for clients to buy and for your team to deliver.
Don’t fear that narrowing your services will limit opportunities, the right clients will value your expertise even more.
Final Thoughts
The traditional full-service model isn’t built for the modern agency landscape. Clients want expertise, consistency, and results, not a vague promise that you can “do it all.”
Greg Hickman’s perspective is a reminder that specialization and productized services are not just business strategies, but also pathways to better lifestyles for agency owners.
As you refine your agency’s direction, remember: focus creates freedom. And freedom leads to both happy clients and happy agency owners.