Almost every successful creative agency goes through a low point. They win more clients, the work scales fast, yet their finances begin to crack. The early signs often appear around payroll week. Or when vendors start chasing payments. Some founders only notice the severity when a personal asset is already at risk.

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The skills that power great TVCs, social campaigns, or events are rooted in creativity. But the skills required to run a stable financial engine rely on structure, systems, and consistent process. These two strengths rarely grow in the same person.

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So what separates agencies that scale with strong client portfolios and maintain healthy finances? From what we’ve observed, they choose the right partner to help manage their financial operations. That partner can be internal such as a commissioner, or external, like a financial advisory firm.

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Whoever it is, make sure they do more than gather data for reporting. You want someone who has real experience as a finance director, and who’s willing to invest time in building processes and IT systems that protect your cash flow.

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If you’d like a deeper view, we’ve written a full article that shares stories from agency owners reflecting on their own inflection points.