Small Agency, Big Impact: How Katie Holt Grew Smart Girl Digital on Her Terms

Katie Holt, CEO of Smart Girl Digital, was at a business crossroads in late 2021.

After years of freelancing and consulting, she had landed her first corporate senior living client and was ready to focus exclusively on that market. However, she knew she would need the right kind of support to make that leap.

Katie explains, “My business was evolving quickly, and I needed more defined support. I vividly remember sending an email to Maggie, saying, I’ve listened to you for years on the podcast. Did I miss enrollment in your program?  The Micro Agency Mastermind had been on my radar for some time, but I resisted building an agency. But with my business growing, I knew I needed to be in a program to help me build the size of business that feels right for me.”

Having listened to the podcast for years, Katie felt confident that the Micro Agency Mastermind aligned with her values. She wasn’t interested in scaling and being the biggest agency — she was looking to build a sustainable business. 

“One thing I was hoping to accomplish by being part of the mastermind was to let go of my resistance to building an agency. Until this point, I was completely not on board with calling myself an agency, but the reality was that the way I was doing things was no longer sustainable. My revenue was steadily increasing. I had two part-time contractors, and we were working on different projects. Demand for senior living marketing services was on the rise, and I knew I had the skills and knowledge to serve these organizations and do it well. So I was thinking about how to build an agency without it feeling like a traditional, stuffy agency.” 

It was the consistent message that Maggie shared that hit home for Katie: You don’t have to scale. You can be a micro agency and still do great work with big clients.

The Micro Agency Mastermind: Tools, Resources, and Unmatched Support

Once Katie decided to join the mastermind group, she immediately realized she was getting even more support than she imagined. The group’s power and the ongoing sharing of resources were invaluable. 

“I love that there is a tool, a resource, a template for almost anything I’ve asked for. I loved not having to start from scratch on building my CEO dashboard. When we went through a rebrand earlier this year, I had access to a messaging framework to help dial in my messaging. Every time I’ve raised a question to the group, someone inevitably says, ‘Oh, I have something for that!’. And that doesn’t even include the vault of resources made available through the mastermind. Whether it’s succession planning, capacity planning or writing proposals, there’s always a resource. I don’t have to start from a blank page. I can take what’s shared and tailor it to my own business.”

In addition to having a supportive community, Katie now had a direct line to connect with Maggie for whatever she needed. 

“Having direct access to Maggie has been incredible. She’s my sounding board, so she’s there when situations happen or I need to vent because I’m having a day where I want to burn the whole thing down. I can message her on Slack or Voxer, and I don’t feel alone. I can have her review job descriptions or discuss pay scales when hiring. Having someone who consistently understands what’s happening in my business, I don’t have to constantly rehash things to bring her or the group up to speed. When I do my one-on-ones with Maggie, we pick up from wherever the last conversation was. I can tell her what I need her perspective on or where I’m struggling. She’s fantastic at reflecting back to me things that I’m not seeing or reminding me of what I’m maybe overlooking.”

While Katie knew being in a community of like-minded micro agency owners would be helpful, she didn’t realize how valuable the experience would be when she joined the mastermind. 

“It’s so nice to know that people are going through the same things I’m going through and have the same questions. I can’t tell you how many times somebody’s asked a question in the Slack community, and I literally was thinking about that the other day. Then, I can follow the thread and the conversation and get answers to questions I hadn’t even thought to ask. It’s helpful to have people who are running micro agencies. We’re all in it together.” 

Embracing the Role of CEO Through Strategic Growt

Smart Girl Digital has transformed in the three years since Katie joined the Micro Agency Mastermind. She’s doubled her revenue and greatly expanded her team. From her start in 2021 with two part-time contractors, she now has a team of six full-time employees, with plans to hire two more part-time employees in 2025. 

Katie has spent 2024 laying the groundwork for her next steps, focusing on building a team that will allow her to spend more time on strategic priorities. 

“Part of my team growth has been putting leaders in place so that I can start to step out of the day-to-day and focus on more strategic tasks. In 2025, I plan to work only with a handful of clients. I’ll be figuratively handing the keys to leadership and support teams I trust. I’m taking steps to start leaning into my CEO role and figuring out the next phase for Smart Girl Digital.”

When we asked Katie what she’d tell someone considering joining the Micro Agency Mastermind, here’s what she had to say.

“For any business owner considering joining the Micro Agency Mastermind, having someone alongside you and your business is the most valuable investment in the business you could make. Having the resources of the mastermind to go to, whether it’s the group, Maggie or the leadership and operations calls, helps ensure you’re building something intentional and sustainable.”