The Untapped Lever: Maximizing Agency Value Through People & Leadership, with James Friel

About this Episode In this episode of the Agency Profit Podcast, Marcel is joined by serial entrepreneur and leadership expert James P. Friel to explore one of the most overlooked levers in agency growth: building high-performing teams through better leadership. Drawing from his background in corporate strategy and years of advising founders, James breaks down the first principles of creating a business that can scale beyond the owner—starting with clarity, accountability, and leadership. Together, he and Marcel unpack why most team performance issues stem not from bad people, but from weak systems, vague expectations, and unstructured leadership. From his “willingness and ability” matrix to the concept of scorecards and his new gamified product 57 Hats, this episode offers a practical framework for unlocking more value, profit, and freedom in your business—by getting the best out of your team.