1 rich Libsyn https://www.libsyn.com 90 600 Develop the strategic idea, then step back—the client can take it in-house, hand it to another agency or bring X&amp;amp;O back to build it themselves. That's the split that co-founders Brett Banker and Eric Segal say powers their sprint model: five-to-six-day timelines, a top-to-top rule that puts C-level talent in the room from day one and a hard “no” on pitching for free, even against a strong prospect. In Agencies on Record, Ad Age’s new quarterly podcast, the pair also break down how their model scales into more complex categories, including an eight-week version built for healthcare's regulatory hurdles. Banker and Segal explain why they've stayed deliberately small—capping the agency at roughly 50 people—even as revenue climbed from $4.2 million in 2024 to more than $8 million in 2025, driven by fixed-fee project work with clients including Coca-Cola and Verizon and talent like Heated Rivalry’s Connor Storrie.&amp;nbsp; The duo weigh in on Dentsu's move into the sprint space with its relaunched 360i unit, the challenges of maintaining focus inside a holding company, and why they've trademarked their own answer to the traditional agency-of-record model: what they call &quot;answers on repeat.&quot; They also explain their hard line against speculative pitching, even when a prospective client all but promises the win. Dig deeper ~Read the Small Agency Playbook ~Why agencies are adopting sprint models and how they work ~How small agencies choose the right pitches—and prepare to win ~Agency reviews in 2030—24 leaders predict what the marketing pitch process will look like ~CMO Survival Guide: What CMOs want from agencies—3 ways to improve relations Ad Age Special Edition https://www.adage.com <iframe title="Libsyn Player" style="border: none" src="//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/43005923/height/90/theme/custom/thumbnail/yes/direction/forward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/88AA3C/" height="90" width="600" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe> https://assets.libsyn.com/secure/content/206594723