Ventura Growth founders Andrew Fischer and Marty Skotnicki headed to Montreal last month to join independent agencies around the globe for the AMIN 2025 Summit. There, they delivered a keynote highlighting how agencies are evolving—sometimes quietly, sometimes boldly—to take more ownership of their media strategies and outcomes. Here’s a recap of what they shared:
Rethinking Media: From Coordination to Control
A few years ago, more agencies started asking: What if we managed media more directly?
They began shifting from coordination to ownership. What used to be seen as an operational cost became a powerful lever for growth, performance, and stronger client partnerships.
Real-World Wins: How Three Agencies Took Control—and Saw Results
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Unlocking Performance with First-Party Data:
Prior to Ventura, a premier digital marketing agency outsourced programmatic media to a vendor. When optimizations were needed, they were met with a ticketing system—slow and detached from their goals.
By shifting to a self-managed approach through The Trade Desk and leveraging first-party data, they launched fully controlled campaigns with immediate impact: a 14–17x ROAS within weeks. The performance was undeniable—but so was the internal shift. Their team gained new confidence, agility, and a deeper sense of ownership.
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Making Media a Strategic Differentiator:
A midwest-based independent agency didn’t just want to run media—they wanted it to win business. Clients were asking tougher questions. Pitches demanded sharper proof. Their leadership team saw an opportunity to turn media from an executional service into a strategic edge.
By building in-house buying capabilities, they unlocked better attribution, premium inventory access, and more transparent reporting—giving them a powerful differentiator in competitive environments. Media became part of their story—and part of their pitch.
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Driving Talent Growth and Long-Term Retention:
Another digital marketing agency had big goals: win new business, strengthen client relationships, and scale the team. But vendor-managed media was slowing them down—and creating a gap in internal capabilities.
We partnered to help them build a self-sufficient media team from the ground up. They started small, built internal confidence, and unlocked both team growth and new business. The result? A media practice they could call their own—plus a new client referral that came directly through our partnership.
The Common Thread: Ownership Drives Impact
Three different agencies. Three different goals. One shared strategy: ownership. Whether the focus was performance, differentiation, or growth, each agency created new value by taking more control of their media approach—and doing it with the right support.
Traverse: The Guided Path to Media Maturity
None of these stories happened overnight. They followed a journey—one we’ve formalized into a flexible playbook called Traverse. In skiing, to traverse is to move with intention across the slope—reading the terrain, adjusting your approach, and building momentum. That’s what agencies need in media too: a guided path, shaped by real experiences.
From data readiness and platform selection to internal training and team structure, Traverse maps each step to what modern agencies actually need.
Where to Start: 3 Moves You Can Make Today
If you’re curious about building more control into your media practice, here are three quick steps you can take now:
- Audit Your Partners: Ask yourself: Why not us? Are you outsourcing out of habit—or are there areas you’re ready to own?
- Assign Internal Ownership: Who leads media on your team? Even if it’s just one person, giving them ownership is a powerful first move.
- Talk to Your Team: Are people feeling stretched—or ready to grow? Often, your future media leader is already on your team.
Let’s Talk
At Ventura, we’ve helped dozens of agencies launch pilot campaigns within 30 days—and most reach self-service sufficiency in 90. Not because they have massive teams or unlimited resources, but because they have a roadmap, real support, and the will to evolve.
As a Certified Service Partner of The Trade Desk, we’re proud to support independent agencies with the tools, training, and strategies they need to lead. Because the future of media isn’t a race—it’s a community. And we’re glad to be part of it.
