Building agencies.
From the work.
Building agencies. Developing people.
Making sense of what comes next.
By John Ghiorso
Garage Agency Era: The VantaFive Manifesto
VantaFive’s thesis as an agency, venture studio and accelerator: turn emerging customer needs into specialist businesses with systematic growth and exceptional delivery.
Read the manifesto ↗From the archive
14 ARTICLES / IDEAS & PRACTICAL SYSTEMSEssays and practical operating systems, adapted from John’s published writing and the processes used across VantaFive. Dates show Journal publication; each article includes its original source and update history.
Nine habits for building an agency that lasts
John Ghiorso’s nine operating habits for agency founders: protect margins, build repeatable growth, strengthen delivery, retain clients, and invest in people.
Agency founders should do more free work
Give prospects a meaningful sample of your agency’s service before the sales call. John Ghiorso explains why real work builds confidence and reciprocity.
The coming boom in micro agencies
John Ghiorso’s outlook on micro agencies: small, specialized teams using AI to build businesses with far more revenue per employee.
Astra Is the AI Shift Agencies Should Actually Care About
John Ghiorso’s five practical changes for agency owners adopting AI: redesign roles, teach delegation, protect judgment, and set clear access controls.
Four agency verticals I'm really interested in
Four agency opportunities John Ghiorso is watching: B2B YouTube, AI video creative, curated B2B events, and advertising in virtual worlds.
How to turn an unprofitable agency into a cash cow
John Ghiorso’s seven-part system for agency profitability: stronger margins, repeatable delivery, founder independence, and a reliable growth engine.
The one-sentence test for your agency’s offer
Test your agency’s positioning with one sentence: explain what you do, why it matters, and why the right customer should stop to learn more.
From Orca Pacific to VantaFive: why I started building again
John Ghiorso on building and selling Orca Pacific, then starting VantaFive to launch specialist agencies with experienced operators and shared systems.
The VantaFive People Evaluation System
Build a consistent agency hiring process with role scorecards, structured interviews, reference checks, work samples, and quarterly performance reviews.
The Green Flag Process: catch client churn before it happens
A practical agency client-retention system: spot warning signs, use clear health flags, hold leadership check-ins, and give every concern an owner.
The three channels behind a repeatable agency growth system
How John Ghiorso combines outbound, referral partnerships, and founder-led content into a repeatable agency growth system, with context from March 2026.
How to test an agency idea before you launch
Validate an agency idea before investing: pressure-test demand with experienced operators and ask potential customers to commit to a paid pilot.
If AI takes the junior work, who develops the next senior team?
If AI takes on junior work, how will agency teams develop expert judgment? John Ghiorso explores the learning and leadership questions for founders.