Let's get real for a minute. Running an agency is hard. Like, really hard. You started this thing because you're amazing at what you do, but now you're drowning in team drama, client fires, and endless revisions. And maybe you're wondering if you're even cut out for this whole agency thing.

Here's the truth: That doubt you're feeling? It's normal. But before you throw in the towel, let's figure out if you're dealing with a leadership growing pain or if the agency model truly isn't your jam.

Signs You're Actually Just Growing (Even Though It Feels Like Breaking)

• You can't stop checking everyone's work: Not because they're bad at their jobs, but because you have a specific way of doing things. And let's be honest – sometimes your team's way works just fine, it's just different from yours. This isn't a business model problem; it's a trust and leadership challenge.
• Your team says they understand, but the work shows they don't: You explain things clearly (at least you think you do), but somehow the final product isn't what you envisioned. This usually means you're keeping too much knowledge in your head. Classic growing pain.
• You're constantly jumping in to “save” projects: The funny thing? Your team might actually be capable of handling these situations, but they've learned to wait for you to swoop in and fix everything. They're not broken – they're just trained to depend on you.

Signs the Agency Model Might Not Be Your Thing

• You genuinely hate managing people Not the “this is hard and I need to learn” kind of hate, but the deep-down “I never want to do this” kind. There's a difference between being uncomfortable with leadership and genuinely not wanting to lead.
• You're only in it for the money If the only reason you built an agency was to scale your income, but you don't actually enjoy creating systems or developing people, you might be happier as a high-paid consultant or specialist.
• You can't imagine ever trusting someone else with your work This is different from struggling to trust your team. If the thought of someone else ever handling your client work makes you physically uncomfortable, you might be better suited to a solo practice.

Here's the Good News

If you're relating more to the first list than the second, you're not actually failing – you're growing. And growth is uncomfortable. It's supposed to be. You're learning to:

• Trust other humans with your baby (your business)
• Lead instead of just do
• Build something bigger than yourself

The Reality Check

Most agency owners I work with aren't actually bad at running an agency. They're just stuck in the awkward teenage years of leadership. You know, that phase where you're not a kid anymore but definitely don't feel like an adult?

Here's what nobody tells you: That messy middle phase where everything feels broken? It's actually the setup for your next level of growth. But only if you're willing to:

• Learn to trust (even when it's scary)
• Let go of being the hero
• Build your team up instead of holding them back (even if it's unintentional)

The Next Step

If you're nodding along to all of this, your agency isn't broken – your leadership just needs to catch up with your growth. And that's totally normal. Every successful agency owner has been exactly where you are.

The question isn't “Should I give up on my agency?”

The real question is: “Am I ready to become the leader my agency needs?”

Because here's the truth: Your team probably isn't the problem. Your business model probably isn't the problem. The problem is that nobody taught you how to be a CEO. You've been trying to figure it out on your own, and that's like trying to do surgery by watching YouTube videos – possible, but definitely not recommended.