Description:
In this episode of The Builders, Matt reconnects with Lorraine Ball, nearly 200 episodes after her first appearance, for a deep conversation on what it really means to build effective teams inside agencies. Rather than focusing on hiring hacks or org charts, Lorraine walks through the foundational thinking that separates high-performing teams from groups that simply execute tasks.
Drawing from her journey from corporate leadership to running a successful agency, Lorraine explains why many agencies unknowingly train their teams to be order takers. She shares how shifting teams toward strategic thinking starts with two deceptively simple questions: who is the customer’s customer, and what does winning actually look like in the next 12 months. Without those answers, even great work becomes generic.
The conversation digs into the real mechanics of building teams that think holistically across ads, content, design, and web. Lorraine outlines how intentional coaching, small learning loops, and better internal communication transform not just the quality of output, but the confidence and ownership teams bring to client relationships.
Key Takeaways:
- High-performing teams are built by teaching people how to think, not just what to produce
- Agencies lose value when teams act as order takers instead of strategic partners
- Knowing the customer’s customer changes every decision, from ads to UX
- Most clients can’t articulate success until you help them define it
- One-off training fails; consistent, focused coaching sticks
- Strong teams are created through clarity, communication, and shared context
Lorraine Ball
Lorraine is an entrepreneur, author, professional speaker, and the mind behind Digital Toolbox. She has 40 years of marketing experience and has developed a lot of training programs and tools that helped business owners achieve digital marketing success.
She is also the host of a marketing podcast, More Than A Few Words, where she talks and brings creative ideas, practical tips, and decades of real-world experience to every episode featuring interviews with marketing professionals from around the globe. Currently, Lorraine is residing in Indianapolis with her family and fur babies.
You can connect with Lorraine on LinkedIn and if you want to stay current with all the changes in digital marketing while running a business, check out Digital Toolbox.
THE MEAT OF IT!
1. Why Team Building Comes Full Circle
- From corporate dysfunction to agency leadership
- Why team design matters more than titles
2. The Real Cost of Order Takers
- Output vs outcomes in agency work
- Where agencies quietly lose value
3. First Principle #1: Know the Customer’s Customer
- Why personas often fail
- How clarity changes every deliverable
4. First Principle #2: Define What “Winning” Means
- Asking the 12-month question clients avoid
- Budget, priorities, and real tradeoffs
5. Breaking Down Silos Inside the Team
- Ads, content, design, and web working together
- Communication failures that sabotage results
6. How Leaders Teach Thinking, Not Just Skills
- Why one-off training never sticks
- Coaching in small, repeatable steps
Check out these related Episodes:
- Episode 259: Rob Broadhead – How to Build Smarter Systems Without Getting Lost in AI Hype
- Episode 247: Isioma Utomi – Building Successful Leaders: The PEER Framework for Meaningful Transformation
- Episode 41: Lorraine Ball – Her Story, Corporate Lessons for Agencies & How to Sell an Agency
