Welcome back to The Agency Hour, where we help web design and digital agency owners create abundance for themselves, their teams, and their communities.
In this final episode of 2025, Troy Dean sits down with Brent Weaver, CEO of E2M and founder of Ugurus, for an in-depth conversation about the future of agencies in an AI-disrupted world. Brent shares his incredible journey to India where he met with E2M's 300+ team members, and both hosts dive deep into why traditional agency models are being challenged and what you need to do to survive...
Welcome back to The Agency Hour, where we help web design and digital agency owners create abundance for themselves, their teams, and their communities.
In this final episode of 2025, Troy Dean sits down with Brent Weaver, CEO of E2M and founder of Ugurus, for an in-depth conversation about the future of agencies in an AI-disrupted world. Brent shares his incredible journey to India where he met with E2M's 300+ team members, and both hosts dive deep into why traditional agency models are being challenged and what you need to do to survive and thrive in 2026.
If you're wondering how to position your agency in the age of AI, why selling strategy first is non-negotiable, and how to avoid becoming just another commodity in a race to the bottom, this episode is essential listening. Troy and Brent get brutally honest about the disruption happening right now and reveal the one seat in the ecosystem that will remain valuable no matter how advanced AI becomes.
What You'll Learn
Why Personal Brands Built the Early Coaching Empires – How Troy and Brent accidentally built coaching businesses while running agencies.
The Gratitude Wall vs. The Claw Hands – Why helping agencies felt more rewarding than serving grumpy clients.
The Production Value Trap – When investing in better cameras and sets actually hurt revenue (and when it helps).
Meeting 300+ Team Members in India – Brent's incredible journey leading a massive team across cultures and continents.
The Fork in the Road for Agencies – Why HubSpot and Klaviyo agencies are disappearing overnight.
Why AI Won't Replace You (If You Do This One Thing) – The most valuable seat between the client and the technology.
Be the Journalist, Not the Genius – How to sell strategy when you don't think you're a strategist.
The Vibe Coding Revolution – What you can build in hours that used to take weeks, and why you still need humans.
Stop Trying to Become an "AI Agency" – Why this is a race to the bottom and what to do instead.
The 2026 Agency Survival Plan – Get paid to pitch, close with strategy, deliver with AI, and scale your profit.
The robots are coming for everything you can do with a keyboard and mouse. But they can't sit with a client, ask the right questions, understand their real problems, and design a plan to solve them. That's your job. That's where the value is. That's what will keep you in business.
Get paid to pitch. Close with strategy. Deliver with AI. Scale your profit.
2026 is the year you become indispensable - or irrelevant. Choose wisely.
If you’re ready to scale your agency and reclaim your time, join our new community for just $1. Every week, Troy goes live with actionable strategies to help you build a business that works - for you
Handy Links:
E2M Solutions - https://www.e2msolutions.com/agency-mavericks
WP Remote - https://wpremote.com
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